


Beastly

by IcyPheonix



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fluff, Romance, fruitshipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-08-24 08:28:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8365120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IcyPheonix/pseuds/IcyPheonix
Summary: There is a story about a cursed prince, transformed into a monster because of his selfishness.That is not this story.A Beauty and the Beast style AU ft: Fruitshipping with Beast!Yuya and Beauty!Yuzu.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I was proud of my longer-than-expected 'dabble' from a prompt I got on tumblr. So I'm sharing it here too.  
> Beauty and the Beast with a slight twist(because once I had the idea I could not pass up the opportunity to write my favourite fairy tale like this).

There is a story about a cursed prince, transformed into a monster because of his selfishness.

That is not this story.

 

The prince was a kind, gentle soul who ruled his people justly. The curse was an act of malice and struck the land like a blight, turning everyone into monstrous beasts, half man and half beast. The prince was simply the first victim.

The prince worked tirelessly to find a way to break the curse, and to protect his subjects from those who sought to harm them. He was their prince, he was duty bound to protect them.

But bit by bit, the fight began to feel futile, the curse was deemed unbreakable and slowly his heart began to grow as hard as the scales on his back until at last he locked himself in his palace. It was all he could do to keep his heart from breaking.

 

The first time Yuya set foot outside his palace walls since locking himself away, was to investigate rumours, rumours that a non cursed human had been spotted within the lands.

He had to be careful, it had been a while since someone unafflicted by the curse had set foot in their lands. And those who did sought to test their mettle against the residents, seemingly forgetting that under the monstrous exteriors the citizens were still just people. People who only wanted to live.

He didn’t want to fight anymore, he was tired and weary, but he had to, he had to protect his people.

 

He could barely believe his eyes when he saw her making her way through the quiet streets, she was an angel in a sea of monsters, a light in the darkness. Yuya slunk back and into the shadows, holding his head in his hands, how could someone like her exist in such a hellish place? She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

“Is someone there?” she called, stopping in the middle of the street, her hood sliding slightly to reveal waves of rosy pink hair. For a moment she thought she’d heard something. “It’s alright, you can come out, I don’t mean you any harm.”

“Who are you?” he asked. “Why are you here? Are you, here to hunt us too?”

“No, no I don’t want to hurt anyone,” she said. “I want to help.”

“You can’t, nothing can fix this. please, just go.” He turned, moving away from her, only stopped when she called out.

“It’s Yuzu, my name’s Yuzu.”

 

Yuzu didn’t leave, she remained, spending time among and interacting with the citizens nearly everyday, seemingly unbothered by their monstrous appearance.

Yuya could only watch from a distance, to afraid to approach her lest the slightest touch from him contaminate her.

Bit by bit, her kindness began to break through the shell around his heart.

 

“I know you’re there,” she said as she sat down by a small camp fire. “Why do you hide?”

Yuya inched farther behind the tree he’d been hiding behind, his claws digging into the bark, eyes downcast. “You shouldn’t have to see me like this.”

“Your people sing your praises you know,” said Yuzu, smoothing her skit with one hand. “They talk of your kindness, even in this dark time, and how you protect them. You are everything to them your highness.”

“It’s Yuya.”

“Hm?”

“My name, it’s Yuya.” He stepped away, slipping into the darkness. “If you wish to visit me at the palace, the doors will be open for you.”

 

Yuzu took him up on his offer, visiting the palace and Yuya everyday. Her visits soon became a welcome part of Yuya’s day, although he was reluctant to let her see him, remaining in the shadows and just out of her sight, even when they spoke.

“Please, I want to see your face,” she said one day. 

“I don’t want to scare you,” he said, wringing his hands. “I’m afraid you’ll leave if you see what I look like. You are kind to my people, to me.”

“I’m not afraid.”

But Yuya was, and each time she asked, he would deny her, and each time she would state she was unafraid of him.

How could he let her see him, when he could barely look at himself. He’d shattered every mirror in the palace, too horrified of his appearance to stand looking at himself for any length of time, and so he wouldn’t be reminded of his failure as a prince. His failure to break the curse.

 

The most unimaginable sound woke Yuzu from her slumber late one night. It was a mash of bloodcurdling screams and howls, and it was coming from one of the palace courtyards.

She practically flew through the palace halls-Yuya had set up a room for her to stay in while in his kingdom-her heart pounding in her breast. What could be causing such a racket so late at night?

She pulled the door open and stopped dead in her tracks as the sight that met her eyes.

Two large figures were clashing furiously in the center of the courtyard. One was very clearly human, dressed in spiked armour and swinging a large sword.

The second figure however was not. Thick red plates ran down their spine and along the large tail that thrashed wildly in the mud. It caught the sword in one large, clawed hand and Yuzu could see patches of scales patterning its skin. One curved horn was broken, the tip lying in pieces on the ground.

Yuzu must have screamed, because the creature turned and she saw a glint of red eyes, before it howled in pain as the sword found it’s mark in the beast’s side.

“Yuzu…” His shaking voice reached her ears and Yuzu watched in horror as the beast, as Yuya, fell to the ground.

“No!” Clutching her bracelet in one hand she charged towards Yuya and his attacker, tears stinging her eyes, a glow shining from between her fingers.

 

When Yuya opened his eyes he found himself looking up into tear-filled blue eyes, his head resting in her lap, cradled gingerly in her hands.

“Yuzu…”

She shushed him softly, pressing a finger to his lips. “You’ve been hurt, please don’t move and try not to talk.” Up close she had a better look at his face, his deep vivid red eyes, the patches of scales and the ridges and spikes along his jaw line. Sharp canines poked out from under his top lip.

He winced, his side twinging in pain. “You weren’t supposed to see me like this,” he said, pressing his cheek into her hand. He reached a hand up, bringing it to he cheek softly as he brushed away tears. “Please don’t cry, I’m not worth crying over.”

“Don’t talk like that!” she yelled, shaking her head. “You are important Yuya. This kingdom, it’s people, they need you. They love you Yuya, you’re so important to them, so wanted.” She choked back tears as she held him in her arms, tears splashing onto his cheek. “ _I_ love you. I don’t care what you look like, I never cared, because it was your heart I fell in love with.” She held him close as she wept, her forehead pressed to his. “I love you Yuya, and I don’t want to lose you.”

“Oh Yuzu, I love you too.” His voice was weak and breathless, his hand sliding down her cheek as it fell back to his side, the spark of life fading from his ruby-red eyes.

Yuzu wrapped her arms around him, pulling Yuya close and kissing him.

Unnoticed, her bracelet flashed softly and scales began to slough off his cheek under her hand.

Yuya gasped as a tingle rippled through his side, through the wound that had brought him to his knees and sucked the life out of him.

“Yuya!” Yuzu pulled back at the sound of his gasp and her eyes widened when she saw him. He looked human.

No longer did Yuya tower over her as he once did, having returned to his natural height. Skin replaced scales and his horns and tail were no more, having crumbled away. His claws had returned to normal hands and his teeth were down to their regular size. There was a bloody tear in his clothes where the sword had caught him, but not a mark on his skin.

Slowly he opened his eyes, and red eyes met tearful blue ones. He raised a hand to her cheek and stopped when he saw it, turning his hand around in disbelief.

He was human again, the scales and claws were gone. He no longer towered over Yuzu, now much smaller as she held him in her arms. The weight of his tail no longer held him down and plates no longer ran down his back.

The curse was broken.

He was free. She had saved him, had saved everyone. She’d done the one thing he’d never been able to do.

Yuya sat up, taking Yuzu’s hands in his and pulling them both to their feet. He spun her around happily before embracing her once again, eyes sparkling with joy.

And for the first time in ages, Yuya smiled.


End file.
